So I'm back in action. I've started to become a lot better, and have a fair amount of free time for the next couple of weeks, so here we are. I would also like to shamelessly insert advertisements for my trio of My Hero Academia fanfics that I started. Click on my username and they'll be there. Anyways, on with the show.

Chapter 5

Jaune followed Roman and the guy in the hat through the base, all the while stewing in anger at his situation. He was wanted, with a bounty on his head, and unable to leave for Beacon - least some asshole try to cash him in or even kill him.

Not that Beacon would be able to help out. Jaune knew the bare minimal about the World of Hunters, but he was aware of the tenuous relations between schools like Beacon and Heaven with their respective councils. The Council of Vale distrusted Ozpin's carefree approach to most situations - especially crime - and the Council of Mistral was always at odds with Heaven's headmaster, mainly because the man was too much like Ozpin.

BOP!

"Ow!" Jaune said while rubbing his head and glaring at his smirking brother. "What the hell Roman?"

"You were thinking too much. You need to be aware and alert, especially now that you're joining us." Roman said while taking a drag out of cigar. "Jaune, every lesson that you learned at Beacon - all the fair fighting and the non lethal blows - you need to forget about them. You can't be part of that world, not anymore. Now, every blow you deal to an opponent needs to be either a crippling or killing blow."

Jaune rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the remedial lesson Roman, but I got it covered. Robin taught me all I needed to know."

"The old man taught you how to fight with your gloves, not swinging that piece of iron." Roman pointed out. "So, until we get you some better weapons you're gonna need something you can actually use decently."

"What do you have in mind? Cause I'm still pretty handy with a knife."

Roman laughed. "Yea, I remember how you'd practice on Saph's dolls. Man, she got pissed."

Jaune joined his brother in laughing. "But she always got her revenge. The dress, braiding my hair, dyeing my hair rainbow...a lot of her pranks involved my hair."

"And your comics."

"Wait...I thought that was you!"

"HAHAHA!" Roman belted out, with the man in the cowboy hat letting out a chuckle. "That's what she wanted you to think, but it was always her."

Jaune looked crestfallen at the "betrayal" of his favorite sister. The trio eventually came to a door, which the man in the cowboy hat opened up. Leading the way, the blond haired man entered, with Roman and Jaune following.

Inside was a room, decked out with computers of all types, a large flatscreen tv on the left side, several bookshelves, a weapons rack, and in the middle stood a round table with nine chairs around it. Four of said chairs were occupied, with Roman and the blond haired man moving to sit in the two of the empty ones.

Jaune stood in the doorway looking at the individuals who stared back at him, some with bored and unimpressed looks on their faces, while some had easy-going smiles. However, it was the eyes that really caught Jaune's attention. All six of the individuals around the table had eyes of experience - experience that spoke of hardships, of loss, of death, of pain.

'Like me.' Jaune thought while his eyes swept across the room. 'They have eyes like me.' Jaune shook himself from his muisings when he noticed Roman clearing his throat.

"Well Jaune, since you'll be with us for the foreseeable future lets get the basic introductions out of the way." Roman gestured to his right, where a woman sat with an parasoul held in her dainty hand. She was small - at least height wise - with multicolored hair that reminded Jaune of a type of ice cream.

"This is Neo. She's my right hand woman, and one of the best infiltrators and assassins in Remnant." Said assassin gave Jaune a smile and wave. "Quick tip: Don't mess with her ice cream and don't mess with her when she's sleeping. Do that and you'll keep your balls."

"Saw that happen to a new guy. Darn shame." The man next to Neo spoke up. He was around Roman's age, with a large sheathed sword leaning against the side of his chair and messy looking dark hair. He wore a long sleeved dalmatian spotted shirt under an orange vest, with a pair of skintight jeans on. His eyes were what was most striking to Jaune - or at least the bags under them where. It looked like the man hardly slept.

"That is Simon Shambles, our doctor." Simon nodded at Jaune, who returned the nod and looked down the line at the next man. Said man wore a haori over a samurai robe - Jaune thanked the gods that Ren loved samurai movies - and was sharpening a katana. The man looked up and waved.

"That's Damien Swift, one of the fastest men alive. To his right is Mirenda Kite, our long range and wilderness expert."

Said women had long golden blond hair, which did nothing to cover the two lion-like ears, which signified her Faunus heritage. She wore a type of gown, green in color, provided little cover for anything, though Jaune suspected that it was weaved with some sort of protective material. Mirenda gave Jaune a small smile and nod, and returned to sharpening one of the arrows she was holding, a green and gold bow slung over her shoulders.

"You know me already partner. Names Tristan Kidd. I run the gangs firearms, ensuring that they don't misfire and that everyone at least knows how to shoot." The blond haired man introduced himself and returned to fiddling with his dual revolvers.

"The other three members of our little council here are out on assignment so you'll have to meet them later. For now." Roman put a cigar in his mouth and flicked a lighter, bringing it up to his mouth. "Let's get down to business."

(Scene Change/Time Change: At Beacon Several Weeks Later)

To say that Teams RWBY and NPR were having a tough time dealing with all the shit thrown in their faces would be like saying Glynda Goodwitch was a strict teacher. The ones who knew Jaune marginally - Weiss, Blake, and Yang - were shocked at the news of his bounty and his new criminal status. Ruby was taking it rather hard as well, having broke down into tears when the news was first announced and had become rather drawn in and quiet.

It was Pyrrha, Ren and Nora who had taken it the worst though. As a team, they had to deal with other students whispering about their friend when they thought the trio weren't paying attention, and also had to deal with being down a man, which impacted several of the team based exercises and assignments that were assigned to them. Suffice to say the groups social standing and grades were beginning to drop, to say nothing of them personally.

Ren looked like he was dealing with the situation well, carrying on as though nothing was wrong with him, yet one could tell by looking at the bags under his eyes that he wasn't sleeping well.

Nora wasn't dealing with the loss well either. Instead of the hyperactive and slightly manic acts she would normally commit Nora kept her head down and was subdued, her actions muted. Some days she would come to class with red eyes and and the occasional sniffle would be heard.

But it was Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl, who was dealing with it the worst. When not in combat she would wear one of Jaune's trademark hoodies over her other cloths, as her own way of remembrance. She had become more sullen and withdrawn, only participating in class or conversation if addressed directly. If she wasn't doing schoolwork or sparing she was clutching onto a photo of Team JNPR, taken a week after initiation, while crying.

The three of them were also more vicious towards others. When the news of Jaune's bounty and criminal connections surfaced there was much talk around the school, with many students from all years discussing the issue, most of whom were rather critical and harsh towards Jaune. The only groups, outside of RWBY and NPR, to talk nicely of him was Sun, Team CVFY, and surprisingly Team CRDL.

While Team NPR knew they couldn't do anything in public to Jaune's detractors, they knew that they could be as vicious as they wanted to on the combat floor. Not a day went by when some individual - or a full team if Pyrrha was in a bad mood - was sent to the hospital wing for some manner of concussions, cracked bones, or broken limbs - mostly legs.

The seven had been confined to Beacon for the past few weeks by order of Professor Ozpin, who had claimed that he 'already had the council breathing down my neck about letting a Torchwick into Beacon, I don't need them boiling me in my own coffee over a group of first years ransacking Vale.'

However, with the new semester approaching the wheel of fate began to spin, with its players all locked into place.

(In Vale: Location Classified)

5 men dressed in suits stood side by side in a dimly lit room. In front of them was a large TV screen, where 5 elder men were seated around a table. The leader, a tall man with a long white beard and long white hair, spoke out.

"You have your assignments. We will not have Alexander Torchwick's spawn in Vale any longer. Dismissed!"

The 5 men in suits bowed, before they blurred and vanished.

The Hunt had begun.

(In Vale: Docks)

A trio of young people approached the biggest warehouse on the east side of the Vale Docks in a v-formation. The two trailing were young, one dressed in silver and black with grey hair, the other in straps and green pants with green hair and mocha skin. The leader was a beautiful woman in a gorgeous red dressed, with dark flowing hair and smoldering yellow eyes.

"Now then dear Roman, lets see what you've been hiding from me."

CUT! This took some time to bang out, as I have just finished with the fresher's week at my school. Which is essentially a lot of partying. All that aside, I have a plan for each of my fics, with one update (chapter) coming out at least once per week, unless something massive pops up. If you guys can figure out where my OCs come from/are inspired by, then comment. Until next time, peace.

TheSaintsFollower, signing out.